Irish Vegetarian Recipes (St. Patricks Day)

A collection of Irish vegetarian recipes for your St. Patrick's Day table, or any time of year.

This collection includes bread, sides and main dishes for St. Patrick's day, some of which can be made ahead of time.

Updated July 26, 2022

A collection of various vegetarian dishes for St. Patrick's Day with text overlay for Pinterest.

Traditional Irish food for St. Patrick's Day may feature a leg of lamb with rosemary, or meat and fish pies. Shepherd's pie (meat with a potato crust) and Guinness and Beef Pie are both very popular. But what if what you really want are Irish vegetarian recipes for your table this year?

I've got you covered.

I've pulled together some ideas ranging from bread to sides and main dishes. All are vegetarian, some are vegan.

B R E A D

Potato Rolls with Chives

These Potato Rolls with Chives are super soft from adding a mashed up boiled potato, with a slightly crusty crust. And they're loaded with chives. These are yeasted rolls, and very easy to make. There's very little actual work on your part - but allow time for the dough to rise.

Soda Bread with Raisins and Orange Zest

Soda Breads don't use yeast - they only use baking soda for the leavener, with buttermilk to help activate it. My version - Soda bread with Raisins and Orange Zest is in keeping with traditional versions, but I added raisin soaked in whisky and some orange zest. And salt. Many of the earliest versions of soda bread are famous for omitting salt.

A loaf of soda bread broken into pieces. Soda bread has raisin and orange zest in it.

S I D E S

Best Ever Braised Cabbage

My Best Ever Braised Cabbage will make cabbage lovers out of haters. The recipe is written for Savoy Cabbage, but you can use any kind of cabbage. It includes onions, white wine, a little cream and a dash of mustard. And of course it has caraway seeds, although they are completely optional.

A small plate of braised Napa cabbage with 2 forks.

Easy Roasted Garlicky Cabbage Steaks

Or make these Easy Roasted Garlicky Cabbage Steaks for your cabbage side (and hello, cabbage is a must for a St. Patrick's Day meal). This post includes tips for getting the surfaces crispy, although this dish is delicious either way.

A platter of garlic roasted cabbage steaks, or thick slices. A little parsley is sprinkled on top.

Vegetarian Cornish Pasties

These flaky Vegetarian Cornish Pasties are filled with creamy celery root, potatoes, leeks and pickled apples. They're a little more trouble, but I use a frozen pie dough to make mine. They're perfect for a warm appetizer or side dish.

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Old Fashioned Potato Gratin

Potatoes are required for any St. Patrick's Day table. One option can be this Old Fashioned Potato Gratin. If you have a hand-held mandoline for slicing the potatoes, this dish comes together pretty quickly, and the potatoes will cook evenly.

Classic creamy potato gratin fresh from the oven.

Perfect Cheesy Mashed Potatoes

If you prefer mashed potatoes, make these Perfect Cheesy Mashed Potatoes. They are always a hit!

Cheesy, creamy mashed potatoes in a bowl, and topped with chopped fresh parsley.

Mashed Celery Root with Blue Cheese and Watercress

For a different twist on mashed potatoes, try this Mashed Celery Root recipe I created for The Food Network's blog. I swapped out potatoes for celery root, and added blue cheese and watercress.

Want more vegetarian and vegan dish ideas? I can help you. I have three newsletters for different topics: 1) Weekly Recipes, 2) Vegetarian Meal Plans, and 3) Monthly Vegetarian Tips for helping you to move to a more vegetarian diet. Choose which newsletters are most relevant to your lifestyle and you'll also get my 5 SECRETS TO FUSS-FREE VEGETARIAN DINNERS.

M A I N S

Cheesy Cauliflower Rarebit Slab Pie with a Rye Crust

This Cheesy Cauliflower Rarebit Slab Pie is from a cookbook I reviewed that a friend of mine wrote. And it is absolutely delicious, and perfect for a crowd. It's essentially a cheesy cauliflower casserole wrapped up in a slab pie with a rye crust. Make it ahead, and reheat for a party.

A slab pie in a sheet pan, filled with cauliflower Welsh rarebit, in a rye crust. A sprig of thyme is on top.

Kale and Cauliflower Tart in a Cheddar Crust

This delicious Kale and Cauliflower Tart is packed with kale, caramelized onions, cauliflower and roasted tomatoes. It's all layered into a cheddar cheese crust.

A tart filled with kale, cauliflower and topped with tomatoes and cheese.

I hope you find something in this collection of vegetarian Irish recipes for your table this year.